Combined driving mirror, parking and signal device



g- 30, 1932- E. T. CONDON 1,874,027

COMBINED DRIVING MIRROR, EARKING AND SIGNAL DEV-ICE Filed Feb. 21, 1930 2 Sheets-$heet 1 m ENTOR [dos 4rd I (0/100/7 ATTORN EY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY E. T. CONDON PARKING AND SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Feb. 21, 1930 Aug. 30, 1932.

COMBINED DRIVING MIRROR,

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PATENT OFFICE N YORK, N. Y, A CORPORATION OF YORK The invention relates to automobile accessories, more especially to a driving mirror of the type which is intended to be mounted upon a fender or mudguard of a car; and it has for its object to so construct the mirror vision with notice of intention to both a following vehicle and an approachin one, as driving 1i 11 carrying out the invention, an elongated mirror is mounted upon the right-hand forward fender of an automobile or, preferably, two such mirrors are employed-one on each of the respective forward fenders. The mir: ror, of course, is to be mounted thereon in position to face the driver; and from a portiom thereof the mirrored surface is removed or an opening cut therein so that a suitable li ht may be displayed therethrough, the same ileing under the control of the operator of the automobile. Over the op osite face of the mirror casing, for examp e at the top and bottom, portions are provided with suitable crystals or lenses adapted for illumination from the interior of said casing, these crystals being of appropriate color and the lighting thereof being also under the control of the automobile operator. Y

The one of the pair of lamps of a device, furthermore, is designed to be disposed opposite to the opening in the mirror so that when the particularlight intended'for an indica- ,tion through said mirror opening is flashed on, the said lens will also be illumlnated as at the op osite or lower portion of the device. The'ot er crystal is designed to be illuminated only for parking or driving purposes and is independently controlled.

The nature of the invention, however, will best be understood when described in connec- COMBINED DG BOB, PARKING AND SIGNAL DEVICE application filed Februaryfil, 1980. SeriaLNo. 480,163.

'tion with the accompanying. drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the novel device and shown mounted upon 'the fender of an automobile.

Fig. 2-is a rear view thereof and shows also the manner of attaching the same to a post and the latter to the fender of an automobile.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the device; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section, on an enlarged scale, and taken on the line 44, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig- 5 is an exploded view of the device with the stepped contours on the outer faces of the lenses omitted for greater clearness.

of which, so as to avoid obstruction of vision occasioned by the usual spare tire mounting, is secured in any suitable manner a hollow post 11 terminating at the top in a hollow spherical head 12. About thelatter is secured a sleeve 13 extending from a block supporting the novel device hereinafter described, the lower end of said sleevebeing spherically shaped and threaded to receive a clampin nut 14, and the 'whole afiording a universal joint formigidly securing the said device to the post at the desired angle.

' The said parking and signal device comprises a casing or housing secured to the sleeve 13 and embodying a front plate 15 having an elongated opening designed to be closed by a mirrored panel 16 suitably retained therein. This panel, for example at its lower portion, is cut away or, preferably, merely the silvered portion is removed therefrom to outline some desired configuration, as an arrow 17. This particular porcolor illuminated behind the configuration when clear glass is utilized. the said arrow will be prominently displayed and will give combined driving J mirror,

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates v tion 17 of the plate may be colored with the ror, furthermore, being secured on the fender is in a position to afford good vision of the adjacent curbing when it is desired to park the car. Q

As it is desirable, also, to give indication to approaching vehicles of the intention of the driver tomake a turn, the rear of the device at the portion opposite the indicating section 17 is closed by means of a crystal or lens member 20, for example colored green when the device is mounted on the starboard side, and red when the device is mounted on the fender on the port side. Thus, when the operator closes a suitable circuit for the lamp 18, not only will an indication be given to the succeeding vehicles but the flashing on of light as seen at the opposite side through the lens 20 will give .notice to an approaching vehicle. If desired, well known means for interrupting at intervals the circuit to the lamp may be included therein and thus enhance the effect of the signaL- Furthermore, provision is made for utilizing the device in case of parking of the car; or, in driving, as a driving light, by providing an additional crystal or lens 21 at the upper and back portion of the casing above the lens 20. A further lamp 22 is to this end correspondingly mounted in said casing be hind the additional lens 21 which, in this instance, is preferably of clear or of frosted glass uncolored. When it is desired to park the car, it is necessary, therefore, merely to close a suitable circuit to the lamp 22 and thereby illuminate the lens 21.

' The said lenses andlamps for illuminating the .same may conveniently be assembled and a suitable housing therefor provided in the following manner. there is struck and turned inwardly at its central portion two parallel wall members 26 and 27 which are also punched to receive and hold with a friction fit a tubuluar support 28 providing the sockets 29 and 30, re

spectively of the lamps 22 and 18. These,

sockets-may be of the usualbayonet-joint, single-pole type and conductors 31 and 32 extend respectively from the lamps through the sleeve 13 into the tubular member 11 and from the latter to a suitable control (not shown) and located in proximity to the operator of the car.

In order to retain the mirror 16 in position with respect to the plate 15 of the casing a removable top clip member 35 is secured From the plate 15 over the edge of said plate as by means of a series of tabs 36 and37 struck inwardly therefrom and adapted to hold between them the said plate, while at its forward edge the clip is turned inwardly, as at 38, to contact'with the bevelled edge of the mirror 16. This inturned portion corresponds to the turned-in edges of the other three sides of plate 15 and serves therewith to retain the mirror securely in position, yet allowing of ready replacement in case of breakage.

Over the saidclip and plate edges is provided a cover member 39 having a friction fit therewith and being provided with a back wall 40. The latter is cut away longitudinally to afford end apertures for receiving the lenses 20 and 21, which shoulder on the said wall.

The intermediate portion 'of the back wall over the lamp socket-retaining member 28 is also cut away and is adapted to be closed by a sealing and holding plate or strap member 41, substantially semi-cylindrical and whose sideedges bear upon inner shoulders 42 and 43 of the respective lenses 21 and 20. The member 41, moreover, extends into the cover member 39, while said member 41' is adapted to be rigidly held to the plate 15 as by means of screws 44 which fit tapped ears 45, the same having been struck inwardly from the corresponding Walls 26 and 27 of a the said plate. In taking up on these screws,

cover member 39 will be drawn inwardly toward the plate 15 until the rear wall 40 contacts with the inner edge of the clip 35 at the top and a stop 46 retained in the bottom of the cover contacts with the plate 15.

Thereby a rigid assembly of the varioushousing elements is afforded; and a housing for the lamps, mirror and lenses is provided in a simple and inexpensive manner, as the plate 15, clip 35 and stop 46, and the strap member 41 may all readily be stamped and formed said transparent portion of the mirror," an

electric lamp located within the housing between said lens and transparent portion and adapted simultaneously to illuminate the lens and to-display a suitable configuration through the transparent portion, a further lens. associated with said housing in the plane of the first-named lens, and an independently operable lampfor' illuminating the same said lamp being located behind the mlrror and screened thereby.

A device of the character set forth, comprising a housing member open at the front and back, a mirrored panel'closing the front of the housing having a transparent portion, a plate retaining the panel to the housing, lenses at the upperand lower portion of the back ofthe housing, a retaining member extending inwardly from the housing front dividing the housing into a plurality of compartments, sockets retained thereby in H 5 ]uxtaposition to the transparent portion of the anel and the said lenses, and a strap mem r bearin upon the lenses to hold the same in assembled position, and means to connect the strap member to the housing to m hold the elements thereof together.

3. A device of the character set' fort-h, comprising a housing member embodying a plate havin inturned wall portions intermediate its ends and provided with an opening, a mirw rored panel closing said opening and having a transparent portion registering therewith, the panel being surrounded along all but one of itsedges by an inturned flange portionof the said plate, a clip removably retained to the unflanged edge of the plate and having an inturned portion for holding the panel over its remaining unsecured edge to the plate, a cover fitting over the clip and having end openings and an intermediate opening in its back, lenses adapted to fit over the end openings, one being located behind the said transparent portion of the mirror, a strap member bearing upon the lenses to hold the same in assembled position, means to connect the strap member to the inturned wall portions to secure the housing elements together, and a pair of sockets supported by the said inwardly turned wall portions, and-located respectively in juxtaposition to the 85 transparent mirror portion and associated lens and to the other of the two lenses.

4. A device of the character set forth, comprising a housing, a mirror retained thereby having a transparent signal portion, a second e signal portion the housing opposite said transparent signal portion, an electric lamp common to both of said'signal portions to illuminatethe same simultaneously, a third signal portiom in. the housing, substantially in the plane ofa said second signal portion and screened b the mirror and an indev-d'ently opera le lamp for illuminating the same, said lamp being located behind the mirror and screened thereb I In testimony whereof I h 5 my signature.

I EDWARD T. CONDON.

ermine/m or normecrzors.

Patent No. 1,314,021. A ara, me

EDWARD 1". common.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printer! specification of the abmre numbered patent requiring correction as follows: In the drawings, Sheet 3, centeiraing Fig. 5. ms uhown herewith, shouldbe inserted as part of the Letters Patent, and in the hendingte the drawiuga, in aheets numbered one mid two in the patent, for "2 firearm" read "3 Sheets";

Aug. 3%, 193 E. T. CONDON 198mm? COMBINED DRIVING MIRROR, PARKING AND SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Feb. 21, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR fz/ward 7." (0114017 and that the said Lettem Patent should'be read with these correctinnstherein thnt the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 9th day of May. A. D. 1933.

Mr 90 Meme (5m)- Acting Commissioner bf Pnteme. 

